Jelena Dokic has been given a wildcard to the Brisbane International which starts January 4, as a reward for her current good form and support for her comeback.

Former Top 5 player Dokic earned a wildcard into the Australian Open last weekend, after playing six matches in seven days at Melbourne Park.

"Dokic showed she still has what it takes last week at the Australian Open playoff," Brisbane International tournament director Steve Ayles said on Tuesday.

"She is hitting the ball crisply and is regaining form and will be a real contender at the Brisbane International."

World No.178 Dokic spent most of 2008 regaining form on the second tier circuit. (source: The Age, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

China’s Na Li couldn’t have started her comeback in a better way. The 25-year-old won the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 triumph over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Li was sidelined by serious rib injury for six months, but she has returned to the winner’s circle with fierce determination and big strength. Read more »

Na Li is playing her first tournament since late June in Birmingham, and her marvelous comeback continues. The Chinese woman advanced to the final of the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.

Earlier in this Tier III tournament, Li saw off seventh-seeded Sybille Bammer, as well as top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova.

The 25-year-old Li, currently ranked 29th in the world, declared she aims to return to the very top: "I want to be in the top 10. I feel stronger mentally. A new Li Na has come back. I feel fresh."

In the final, Na Li will play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat fifth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals. (source: CBS Sports, photo via: WTA World)

Seems Na Li’s tough period is over. After a terribly long injury lay off, China’s best-ranked tennis player made a huge success. At the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, her first tournament since the serious rib injury, she sent home top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova with a 6-3, 6-3 victory and reached the semifinals. Not to mention she had earlier disposed of seventh-seeded Sybille Bammer.

Nicole Vaidisova was not the only big-name player to fall on Thursday. Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo and defending champion Dinara Safina were also defeated. Mauresmo was beaten by fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder, with the Swiss winning 6-4, 6-4 after leading 5-0 in the first set, while Shahar Peer beat Dinara Safina 46 61 76(8).

Semifinal matches: Na Li vs. Patty Schnyder, Shahar Peer vs. Victoria Azarenka. (photo via Getty Images)

Australia's No.1 women's tennis player Samantha Stosur is forced to miss the Australian circuit because she didn’t have enough time to prepare. Stosur was unable to compete on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour for most of the last half of the season due to two serious illnesses and she only resumed training three weeks ago.

The world No.46 has withdrawn from the Australian Open, as well as from her home event, the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts on the Gold Coast.

"I always love competing at home in Australia and have had some of my best results here, which makes the decision not to play especially hard," Stosur said. "But I need concentrate on the long-term goal of getting my health and fitness 100 percent again, so I don't want to start competing again until I'm fully ready." (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, photo via Sam Stosur's official site)